


Stolen Kisses

by the_soot_sprite



Category: Original Work
Genre: Childhood Friends, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Kisses, Stolen Kisses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-15 17:35:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29687520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_soot_sprite/pseuds/the_soot_sprite
Summary: Stolen kisses between lifelong friends
Kudos: 1





	Stolen Kisses

The first time they kissed was when they were five. They had known each other their entire lives; their parents had met at university and stayed friends through the years. To say they were delighted to have children of the same age would be an understatement. Being around him was as natural as breathing.

It was an expected occurrence that they were in each other’s company. That day, they had been playing house together. She wanted to put on her new dress and he obliged if he was allowed to dress up as a superhero. She compromised by putting her father’s jacket on him, insisting that any decent hero would obviously have a secret identity. He couldn’t fault her logic so agreed. 

They felt quite grown up dressed up in her parents' clothing. With her mother’s lace-trimmed apron tied around her waist, she presented him with the breakfast she had lovingly spent the last minute putting together from the icebox (naturally, it was made from a discarded box). They pulled up the miniature chairs and sat around the small table, using their best manners to attend to the meal. 

He complimented her on the lovely taste of the bagel topped with a hamburger patty and croissant. She daintily held her floral teacup, pretending to cool down the imaginary drink with small puffs of breaths. They exchanged a few more compliments before she heard the nonexistent cries of their baby. Placing down her cup, she reached out and fussed over the baby doll. He took it as his cue to leave. 

Shucking off the large coat, she fixed his cape and wished him good luck with saving the world. He bid her good day and pressed a kiss to her lips like he’d seen his father do before leaving for important superhero work. She stood wide-eyed at the surprise moment of affection before remembering she had crucial household things to do like painting a new picture of the kind of house she imagined they lived in. 

*****

The second time it happened, they were thirteen and at their first boy-girl party. Her body was a mix of excitement and nervousness; she wondered how everyone else was acting so cool when the host suggested playing spin the bottle. She swallowed visibly at the notion, unsure how she had let her friends talk her into participating. 

She looked amongst her group; all of them chattered excitedly about the game. She heard hushed voices wondering who would play amongst the boys. One brave soul admitted she hoped her turn landed on him. Her ears picked up the confession and she looked up, nervousness suddenly fading away. Another friend giggled and agreed that he was cute; she told them that she wouldn’t mind kissing him, game or not. A flash of something coursed through her—whatever the feeling was, she was sure she didn’t like them speaking about him that way.

Before she could say anything, the game was set. The girls and boys gathered in a circle. While they took turns, she couldn’t help but think that this would be her first kiss. The dread started to sink in as she wondered who she’d be giving it away to. She questioned why she even agreed to this.

Her thoughts were interrupted when her friend nudged her shoulder, telling her it was now her turn. She gulped nervously. Steadying her hand, she held her breath as she reached out and spun the bottle. Her heart hammered as she watched it whirl round and round. 

As the centrifugal force slowly ebbed, she began wishing she was anywhere else but in the middle of the circle. The bottle stopped and she closed her eyes, hoping it wasn’t someone she hated. She picked up the giggles and collective “oooooohhhh” from her friends. Her hearing distinguished the sounds of male voices heckling the poor victim. 

Sighing, she had no choice but to steel herself and face the experience head on. Her eyes met a set of familiar ones. It was him. He smiled sheepishly at her. She looked around nervously. The host impatiently told them to get on with it so the next person could take a turn. He leaned in, whispering, “Just like when we used to play house,” reminding her this wasn’t her first kiss with him after all.

*****

The next time didn’t happen for a long time after that party. In the intervening years, they remained close friends despite growing up and attending different universities. Neither one of them spoke about the kisses and it seemed to have been lost to time. 

It was the first break from school and both were eager to see one another in person. Though they kept in contact through texts and phone calls, it hadn’t been the same as physically seeing one another. They spent the winter break catching up on the other’s life and what things they had learned during the first time away from home. 

His family’s annual New Year’s Eve party marked one of the last times together before they departed for their spring term. The evening felt bittersweet. As excited as they were to get back to their new lives, it felt odd to be leaving the other behind again. He chalked it up to nostalgia; after all, she always reminded him of home and it was always hard to leave that feeling behind. 

As the countdown to the new year began, he shifted on his feet as he watched the happy couples around him find one another. Despite being amongst friends and family, it was moments like this that made him feel out of place. He wished for something but he was still unsure what that missing thing was. 

He felt her presence beside him before he even saw her. She leaned her shoulder against his, nudging him so he’d look at her. She rolled her eyes at the scene in front of them. She grinned, clinking her glass to his, and took a sip. He smiled down at her just as the clock struck midnight. All around them couples cuddled each other with whispered words and heated kisses. 

With a little liquid courage, she drew his face to hers and pressed her lips gently against his. Pulling back, she whispered, “Happy New Year.” 

*****

Graduating from university was an achievement that deserved to be commemorated. Though their lives continued to keep them apart, the moment wouldn't feel complete without the other. They agreed to meet at a bar and have one last night out with all their friends. The din of the bar couldn’t dampen the celebratory mood. They were thrilled to be done with university and eager to start their adult lives. They were poised to start new jobs that took them away from one another; a last night out before their separation was inevitable.

He sat back with a small group, drinking beer after beer as they talked about their plans for after university. He chatted animatedly with their friends. Regaling them with a story, he found himself getting louder as the tale went on. The more excited he got, the more exaggerated his gestures became. She caught sight of his energetic storytelling, laughing to herself at his inebriated state. 

Though engaged in a lively conversation, his eyes kept straying, always searching for her. He watched her throw her head back and let out a loud joyous cheer with her girlfriends. Her body swayed with the tempo of the music, moving in time with the beat. She raised her arms into the air and threw her head back as she shimmied to the music. He couldn’t help but watch her uninhibited display of pure jubilance. 

Her eyes caught him staring at her. She grinned and beckoned him to the dance floor. Shaking his head, he tried to excuse himself, pointing to the drink in his hand. Undeterred, she made her way towards him. He tried to protest but the words died on his lips when she pouted her lips and batted her eyes at him. She knew he could never tell her no when she gave him the look; it worked when they were five and it still worked to this day. 

Dragging him into the crowd of people, she let go of his hand and swayed to the music. His hand felt strangely colder without hers in his. He stood awkwardly amidst the frenzied group, unsure of how to move his body. She saw his confused state and laughed aloud. 

Leaning closer to him so that her voice carried across the space, she called out, “Just shift your weight from foot to foot and loosen up a little!” He scrunched his nose at the instruction but did as she commanded. He was still stiff, so she placed his hands on her waist and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Just follow me,” she directed. 

He matched her movements and relaxed into her arms. She smiled up at him, appreciating how he finally seemed to loosen up. She loved watching him allow himself to have fun. His ever-present smile seemed wider and his laugh was louder than usual. She would miss seeing him daily like she’d grown accustomed to in the short time they’d been home. She wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol she’d consumed or his close proximity, but she felt drunk in his presence. 

The dance floor was packed, full of young people having the time of their lives. As the crowd grew, someone knocked into her as they tried to make their way through the throng. She stumbled forward into him. Both wobbled at the unexpected loss of balance, feeling the effects of the alcohol coursing through their system. His arms wrapped around her, trapping her against his body. 

Steadying her, he asked, “Are you alright?” 

She snickered as she righted herself, taking note of the way his fingers felt against her warm skin. Hearing the merry peal of her glee, he joined in with loud laughter that cut through the noise. They both devolved into a fit of giggles, finding the situation unusually funny. 

Their foreheads pressed together as she shook her head, wondering why she found the situation so comical. Her breath hitched when she realized their faces were closer than she realized. He stilled at the same time, eyes flicking down to the shine of the gloss that coated her pout. Without thinking, he leaned forward, capturing her lips with his own. 

The sudden coolness of a spilled drink across her back broke the spell of the moment. Her eyes flashed open and she yelped at the accident. They pulled apart, breathing heavily. A stranger slurred what sounded like an apology for their carelessness. He waved the drunken dancer away. Grabbing hold of her hand, his face shifted from the soft glimmer of something more into her protective friend as he pulled her away from the dance floor to help her get cleaned up. She shuffled behind him, lost in thought over what had occurred. His hand tugged her along and she followed him willing, touching her fingertips against her swollen lips. 

*****

The fifth time was less of a stolen kiss but more of an accident. She’d come home for a long weekend. Her sister had just gotten engaged and she wanted to congratulate her in person. He was living not too far away and they agreed to meet halfway for coffee. Though they still spoke constantly, visits between were harder to come by lately with their busy schedules.

Though they had only planned on catching up for a few hours, soon they found that more than four hours had passed. It was only the chime of her phone that alerted her to how much time she’d spent with him. It never seemed that long or long enough. Groaning at the late hour, she told him she had to meet her sister. He apologized for keeping her out so late but she dismissed it, saying she enjoyed his company. 

As they were leaving, she leaned in to give him a hug and a kiss on the cheek goodbye. He turned his head at the last minute to kiss the side of her cheek when her lips landed on his by mistake. She pulled back in surprise, embarrassed by the accidental encounter. He quickly apologized for the awkwardness. They left laughing at the incident but she wondered if he felt the same tingles he did. He wistfully watched her walk away, lips tingling at the memory of her lips on his. 

*****

The last time it happened was at her sister’s wedding. They swayed together on the dance floor. The twinkling lights cast a magic air that spoke of promise and new beginnings. She glanced over his shoulder at the deliriously happy newlyweds who had eyes for no one else, lost in their own world. 

He noticed the slightly somber look on her face. “Hey,” he probed, “what’s up?”

She shook her head lightly and let out a breath. Fixing a soft smile on her face, she confided in him. “I’m beyond thrilled for my sister. She deserves all the happiness in the world,” she paused thoughtfully before continuing on. “But, I don’t know, I guess some part of me longs for a love like that too. I mean, I’ve had a few relationships, but they’ve never quite fulfilled me enough for me to take the next step and get really serious. But still...I hope for something more.” 

Bravely, she looked up at him. His eyes sparkled in the light. He smiled softly down at her, reassuring her that she’d find that someday. The music changed to an upbeat tempo, encouraging more guests onto the dance floor. They pulled apart, the atmosphere around them changing. As more people swarmed around them, she sighed, wondering aloud, “When?” 

“Maybe you already have.” The soft whisper was almost too low to hear over the music. Her eyes widened at the comment. 

Before she could ask him if she’d heard him correctly, he turned around and began to walk towards the bar. She was left standing in the middle of the crowd, wondering if she had heard him correctly. She concluded that it must’ve been wishful thinking on her part, that he’d never see her romantically despite all those stolen kisses over the years.

He spent most of the reception near the open bar, drowning his regrets in alcohol. He worried that the slip of his tongue revealed too much and that he would lose her friendship. Not having her in his life was out of the question. He hoped that she didn’t hear it, although some part of him wished she had. 

As the celebrations died down, the crowd of people began to thin out. Though he meant to erase tonight from his memory with alcohol, he couldn’t bring himself to forget. He could easily slip out and not face her, but that was a coward’s way out so he made his way to bid her goodnight. Her tight smile told him she’d heard and he was washed in the realization something had irrevocably changed between them. He closed his eyes as he hugged her goodbye, wondering if this was the last time he’d be able to hold her again. 

As he started to walk away from her, he felt his heart wrench at the thought of leaving things as they were. He figured that if things had shifted because of his half-whispered confession, then he wanted to be all in. _Fuck it,_ he thought. _If tonight messed everything up, I might as well go all in. What do I have to lose at this point?_

He turned on his heels and called out her name. She stopped in her tracks, wondering if he’d forgotten something. He stalked towards her with purpose. Before she could open her mouth to ask him what’s wrong, he pulled her close to him and covered her lips with his own. He poured years of pent up frustrations, of longing, of loving her from afar into the kiss. The taste of her exploded in his mouth; he wanted to savor and memorize every last sensation associated with her. He felt her body sag in his arms, as if being caught by surprise made her knees give out. The soft sighs that escaped from her suddenly sobered him up, dousing the fiery courage behind his spontaneous decision. 

She pulled back from the kiss, breathless and blinking for several seconds afterward, trying to get her bearings. Her mind went blank at the intensity of the kiss. _Did this mean what I think it means?_ she wondered. Her eyes wildly searched his face for the reason only to find him gazing at her with a look filled with love and hope...and a hint of fear. 

“I—“ he began. Before he could continue, she interrupted him, stopping him from saying anything more. She pulled his face down, pressing her lips against his, exchanging her own long-held confessions. Unlike the others that came before, this kiss was different. It was a kiss with a promise of things to come, a kiss that marked a new beginning, a kiss freely given and warmly received: _this_ was their first true kiss.


End file.
